The Illusion Of Democracy

Are presidential elections rigged?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x371745

I'm really leaning toward the idea that they are.

It's certainly not an impossibility. Most people vote on some sort of electronic voting machine, many of which aren't even capable of being audited. The votes go up into "thin air."

In my own sorry state of Alabama, we use "optical scan voting," which, on the surface, seems a little bit better. There are physical ballots that can be examined, if the occasion arises. When did the last occasion arise?

It's interesting to note that Alabama went from solid Democratic, to solid Republic at the same time votes began to be collected electronically.

The Republicans come in and rob the country, wreaking havoc with wild tax giveaways and corporate welfare to the warmongers, then a Democrat comes in, supposedly, to try to solve the fiscal mess, promising some "HOPE AND CHANGE," for which they are vilified as "tax-and-spend" liberals, whether they raise taxes or not.

It almost seems like the Democrats are just another wing of the corporate party, playing the hapless stooge.

Clinton did a few good things. But he also did a lot of bad things. He carried out the corporatist mission of destroying any semblance of an American welfare state... to use blunt, frank language.

And Clinton moved the American political center decidedly to the right.

And I see Obama doing the very same thing. I think the whole system is poisoned.

I was elated when Obama won in 2008. I was walking on air. I thought things were finally going to change.

Alas, I was wrong.

It's just more of the same. The rich taking from the poor. And the continuing consolidation of wealth into the velvety hand of fewer and fewer patrons, that control the machinery with which we vote.

The only things that matter are your connections... where you went school... what fraternity you were in... forget sororities for now.

We are ruled by an oligarchy now, and that ain't gonna change anytime soon. Unless we see some serious action in the streets, and I don't envision that happening in my lifetime.

21st century Americans are a lazy bunch.
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